Netanyahu Blames Ex-Shin Bet Chief for Oct. 7 Failures, Faces Defamation Lawsuit

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has again denied receiving prior warnings from Egyptian intelligence about the Hamas attack on October 7. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on contacts between Israeli leadership and then-Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. Netanyahu's office refuted these claims, stating no such warnings were received and that he never met Kamel without Israeli officials present.

In a related statement, Netanyahu sharply criticized former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, accusing him of failures and crimes. Netanyahu alleged that Shin Bet leadership was aware of alarming signals on the morning of October 7 but failed to inform the prime minister or local security services. The prime minister suggested that criticism directed at him is part of a media campaign to shift blame for the events of that day onto the current government.

In response, Ronen Bar rejected Netanyahu's accusations, calling them detached from reality. The former Shin Bet head accused Netanyahu of evading responsibility, obstructing the state investigation commission, and manipulating documents. Bar announced that his lawyers are preparing a defamation lawsuit against the prime minister and demanded the declassification of Netanyahu's meeting schedules with security and foreign officials, along with all protocols and warnings provided to the premier.

Both sides are pursuing legal avenues and intend to call on intelligence service employees as witnesses to support their respective positions.